Love is in Bloom
by Storyteller64
Summary: This is a story of how Princess Cadance and Shining Armour got together.


A story I was working on while I was waiting for Sunday to start the sixth chapter for Their First Adventure. As far as I'm aware this is the first story about Princess Cadance and Shining Armour so I'm proud to say FIRST!

**A Lost Love**

Princess Cadance trotted through the long hallways of the Canterlot Castle with a warm smile on her face. The young princess had recently return from a trip to the frontier colony of Appleloosa as a representative of Equestria to the tribe of buffalo living near the town. It was both an exciting and nerve-racking experience, with it being her first time outside of the capital and having such an important task to perform.

There were many times on the trip when she had wondered why her Aunt Celestia had chosen her over somepony who was more qualified but then again it wouldn't be the first time she had done something a bit unorthodox. It was a unique personality quirk of hers that usually gave her royal advisors headaches. The memory of one such occasion made her laugh in a manner that her cousin Blue Blood would declare as undignify.

It was during this fit of giggles that she fails to notice the shadowy figure creeping up to her. "Hi, there princess." Came a feminine voice that almost caused her to jump out of her skin. Turning around she was surprise to find a dark grey pony with dragon like wings and bright yellow eyes in full Crescent guard armour.

It took the alicon a spilt second to recognise the drago-pony before her. "Oh, hello there Nightshade." She said giving the guard a friendly smile. "What are you doing here? I thought the Crescent guards only patrol the castle at night."

"We do, but I'm just heading over to the arena to watch the new captain train the recruits. I've heard he's quite the looker." Nightshade said giving the princess a suggestive wink.

Cadance rolled her eyes, she was well aware of the corporal's reputation of being flirtatious which had gotten her into trouble on multiple occasions. However despite that small drawback she was actually one of the most trustworthy members of Auntie Luna's guards which was probably why she was chosen to accompany her on her trip.

"Hey, I got an idea!" the drago-pony suddenly declared. "You should come with me, there's no better way to spend the day then watching a group of stallions beating each other up with wooden swords. Especially if their cute and single."

"Thanks Nightshade, but I actually have to go and unpack my bags…"

"Oh, you can do that later." She said as she took a hold on one of the princess's forehoves. "Come on, if we hurry we might get a chance to see what the recruits faces look like before they get all bruise up."

Before Cadance could object they were already zooming down the hallways towards the castle's exit.

* * *

Cadance and Nightshade sat on chairs at the very edge of the arena's sitting area. The young princess was still annoyed by how the drago-pony had just grabbed her and flew over to the large stadium despite how she had no interest in coming here in the first place, however she was currently preoccupied with scene before her.

Below them were rows upon rows of unicorn stallions standing in small groups of six, they were all wearing training armour and had wooden swords floating within their magical grips. So far they don't seem to be aware that they have an audience or that they were being watch by a princess. It was probably better that way, the last thing she wants to do was make the recruit nervous or uncomfortable in anyway.

"So which one do you like?" Nightshade asks, breaking the silence.

The alicon looked at her companion, confuse by what she had asked "Excuse me?

"I said which one do you like? I personally like that one over there." She said pointing at the largest of the recruits. "I wouldn't mind having him covering my back if you know what I mean."

Unfortunately Cadance knew very well what she meant and it caused her cheeks to blush a light red colour. Honestly she never really thought of things like that even when she was going through her teenage years. _Well, that's not entirely true._ She thought as she watches the recruits split up in pairs of twos. _There was that one stallion._

Suddenly her mind returns to a time when she was younger, back then the young alicon didn't have much to do besides being waited upon like a new born. Life at that point had gotten really dull, so much so that the princess would jump at any opportunity to do…well anything. Auntie Celestia had notice this at one point and arrange a foal-sitting job for her with one of the lesser noble families. She was thrilled when her aunt had told her, not only had she finally has something productive to do but she got to do it away from the castle.

This excitement lasted until her first day. She remembers standing at the front door of the manor, the feeling of anxiety creeping into her very being as she thought of the numerous ways this could have gone wrong. _What if the foal doesn't like me?_ She had thought staring at the doorknob as if it would bite her. _What if the parents don't like me or there's an accident and I don't know what to do._

The fear of these things kept building until it finally boiled over, in a blind panic the young alicon turned and try to escape but didn't get very far. She had barely taken five steps before colliding with another pony. They both fell onto the ground with a brief moment of pain and dizziness. Cadance couldn't believe what had happen, she try to run away so to avoid getting into a situation exactly like this. She was so embarrass she couldn't even lift her head up to see if the other pony was alright.

"Are you okay?" asked a gentle, kind voice.

Cadance didn't answer she just kept looking at the ground silently wishing she could just go invisible.

"Here, let me help you up." The voice said as its owner extended a hoof.

The young alicon excepted the hoof and allow it to lift her off the ground and that was when she got her first glimpse of the unicorn who stole her heart. He was slightly teller then her with a long blue mane that came down to the back of his neck. The white coat on his body almost seems to shines as the light of the sun touches it. But what really got her heart fluttering was the kind smile he had on.

"You must be Princess Cadance right?" he asked.

Still unable to find her voice the princess could only nod and say. "Uh-huh."

"Good, my parents told me you would be coming over to look after my sister." He said going over to open the manor's door with the enthralled princess following close behind. "You're like her, she's very mature for a pony her age maybe even a bit too mature. Just don't go asking what her favourite book is either wise you've never hear the end of it. Oh, my name's Shining Armour by the way."

_Shining Armour, what a perfect name._ She had thought. For the next several months she came to his house to look after his little sister who she had adored as if she was her own little sister. And he was right about her being mature and smart, that little foal taught her more things than her tutors ever did.

She had also gotten rather close with Shining Armour even managing to say more than "uh-huh", there was even a time when she had suspected that he might share the same feelings she had for him but if so he never voice them. That had often been the main topic of her thoughts when she was younger. _If he does feel something for me then why doesn't he just tell me?_ she had thought. _Is it because he shy or maybe he thinks because his from a lesser noble family he isn't good enough for me._

Looking back on it she probably should have told him her feelings instead of waiting for him to do it, if she had maybe things wouldn't have end the way as it did. One day Shining Armour's little sister was accepted into the School for Gifted Unicorns and also surprisingly became Auntie Celestia's personal apprentice, an honour which hasn't happen in a thousand years. With no foul to watch over there was no reason for her to visit Shining Armour's home. They had promise to keep in touch but soon they slowly drifted apart until all she had were the memories.

To this day not telling Shining Armour her feelings had become her one true regret.

"Hey look, there's the new Captain!" Nightshade suddenly squealed, bringing the princess back to the present.

Looking down into the arena Cadance saw that the recruits had all gotten back into on large group and were watching as one of their own duelled with a stallion who while also wearing training armour was still obviously a guardsmen of high rank and skill. Strangely enough there was something about that stallion that caught her eye, as if she had seen him before despite the fact that she was seeing only the back of him. Then suddenly, as the Captain stepped to the side to avoid the recruit's attack she saw a face she thought she would never see again.

"Shining Armour?" She said in disbelief.

There was a brief moment where she questioned whether or not the memories of her past love has cause her to see things but as she continues to stare at that face half hidden beneath the wooden helmet she knew it was truly him. A surge of emotions rapidly surge throughout her body as if the gates of a dam have been raised. Tears of unbridle joy began to blur her vision but she really couldn't have cared less. The first and only pony to have ever stolen her heart is now just before her and this time she isn't going to let him slip away.

"Princess, you know that stallion?" Nightshade asked in mild surprise.

"Y…Yes I do." Cadance answered though her eyes were still glued to the white stallion below. "When I was younger I use to foal-sit his sister. But that was a long time ago I doubt he even remembers me."

"Really." The drago-pony said as she turned back to the action below, a devious smile slowly spreading across her lips. "Well, there's only one way to be sure isn't there."

With that the hybrid pony stood up, took a deep breath and shouted. "HEY CAPTAIN! LOOK OVER HERE!"

Everypony's attention turns to the two mares in the stands above including the Captain's. Cadance didn't notice however as she was manly focus on what her companion had just done, she swear she could feel her face turning red from embarrassment. She took a quick look down at the arena below hoping that by some miracle no pony heard.

The recruits below who were confused by the sudden interruption all gasped when they saw the alicon sitting next to the drago-pony. Almost immediately they all bowed to the princess with the exception of the Captain.

Shining Armour took the wooden helmet that was protecting his head only moments ago. His features hasn't very much since the last time the young princess saw him, he still has his long blue hair though it was better kept then last time she saw it. The same kind, confident blue eyes and his coat hasn't last still shines whenever it's hit by the light. In fact the only thing that she could see that was different about him was that he was now older.

He took several steps towards the stands, his eyes locked on the young alicon. With each step he took Cadance could feel her heart beating faster and faster, by the time he stood just before her it threaten to break free from her chest. For that moment their eyes met and the whole world seem to fade away. The young princess felt as if time itself had come to a screeching halt just for these two to become lost in their own little world.

"Cadance." Shining Armour spoke his voice still very much the same from when they had first met. "Is that you?"

* * *

So Yeah, that's how I think they got together or at least how it started. This will be a short story with maybe two or three chapters tops but I might be persuaded to do more if like this.

Now if you excuse me I'm going to start on the sixth chapter on my other story.


End file.
